Not a “crocodile hunter”, Steve Irwin was a zoologist and wildlife conservationist who saved wild animals and especially loved reptiles; his go to phrase was crikey!
Irwin Was A Zoologist, Wildlife Conservationist & TV Personality
Born in the suburbs of Melbourne, Australia on this day in 1962, Irwin was raised by Lyn and Bob Irwin, who gave him an eleven-foot python for his Sixth birthday. He named the snake Fred. During the early 1970s, the Irwins moved to the Sunshine Coast in the Australian State of Queensland and opened Beerwah Reptile Park.
The Google Doodle on Friday celebrates the life and legacy of wildlife conservationist and television personality Steve Irwin, who made the world see the large reptiles in a way never seen before through his work at the Australia Zoo and his popular TV series ‘The Crocodile Hunter’.
Family That Conserved Together
The Google Doodle in its note to the famous hunter said, “Irwin and his family dedicated their lives to the preservation and appreciation of earth’s wildlife and wild places”.
Learning to wrestle crocodiles since the age of nine, Irwin volunteered with
Queensland’s East Coast Crocodile Management Program, helping to capture and relocate endangered saltwater crocodiles—the largest of all living reptiles—to protect them from being harmed. He was involved in all aspects of managing his family’s park, which was renamed Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park, and eventually the Australia Zoo.
Irwin’s Love Story With Crocs
Soon after he took over management of the park, Irwin met his future wife Terri who was visiting the zoo. They spent their honeymoon capturing crocs, and the footage they shot became the first episode of The Crocodile Hunter, which grew into a runaway hit show seen in more than 100 countries by over 500 million people.
Thanks to the show, Irwin’s enthusiasm for saving endangered (and dangerous) animals quickly became as popular as his one-word catchphrase “Crikey!” It was also a family effort— while Steve and Terri hosted the show together, their children Bindi and Robert became fixtures on the show as well.
Accomplishments
In 2001, the Australian government awarded Irwin the Centenary Medal for a lifetime of service, and in 2004 he was nominated as the Australian of the Year. Among his many accomplishments was the discovery of a new species of snapping turtle, which was named Elseya irwini in his honor. In 2018 he was also posthumously awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Legacy Continues
Today, Irwin’s legacy lives on through his family’s continued animal conservation work and with the celebration of Steve Irwin Day each November 15, an international celebration of wildlife, family, and fun including fundraising events to benefit the Australia Zoo’s Wildlife Warriors program.
Death
Irwin died on September 4, 2006, after a stingray’s serrated barb pierced his heart while he was filming underwater off Australia’s coast.
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